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https://jamesfiorucci.wordpress.com/2023/12/26/simple-audio-review-audio-technica-ath-r70x/
I’ve been in the audiophile space for a number of years now, and become all the more aware of the inconsistencies prevalent in this hobby. The “objectivist vs. subjectivist” argument will rage on beyond the end of time itself, for example.
I for one am not a big fan of the Harman target, with it’s emphasised mid-bass and treble frequencies. Everyone has their own preferences, and it’s been a long and admittedly costly journey to find my preferred sound.
With a few minor caveats, the Audio-Technica ATH-R70x is EXACTLY what I want in a headphone.
This pair is kindly on loan from a fellow local collector, and I’m dreading the day I have to return these back to them, such is the profound impact they have had on me.
If I had to describe the R70x simply, it’s a HD600 on steroids. Let’s explore some of the reasons why in this Simple Audio Review.
Comfort and Build
Can’t talk about the build of the R70x without mentioning it’s so-called “3D wing support” headband system.
In essence it’s just like a regular elasticated suspension strap but with the middle part missing. It makes up for this with a stiffer elastic and decent clamp force to keep the headphones in place. Despite having a small skull, the R70x don’t move around on my head at all, even during a particularly passionate head-banging tirade!
Since there’s no headband in contact with the top of the scalp, I find these headphones very comfortable for long listening sessions. Add to that their vanishingly low weight (210g exc. cable), this is of the few cans that don’t give me any sort of fatigue beyond a couple of hours of use.
It’s not all good news though. My ears are smaller than average, but the inner diameter of the earpad are so small that my lower lobe and upper helix touch the pad. While there’s no pain, this minor gripe prevents the R70x from truly disappearing on my head.
Furthermore, some vertical articulation of the earcups would have been nice, as this would make it slightly easier to get a proper seal. I do manage it after a bit of fiddling and minor positional adjustment, it’s just a bit frustrating sometimes.
In terms of build quality, I think the R70x is a no-nonsense, sturdy piece of kit. Nothing fancy, just clever use of metal and high-quality plastics that assures you they won’t break from a fall from your desk. Which can’t be said for all headphones!
I’m not a fan of the almost-proprietary, twist-lock, dual-2.5mm connectors though. You have limited options to change out the cable, and the 3-metre length isn’t really practical for the majority of use cases either.
Sound
At around the $300 price category, the Audio-Technica pits itself up against the legendary benchmark, the Sennheiser HD600. And the similarities don’t stop there by any means.
The HD600 is revered by the headphone community as a reference point and default recommendation for those looking for a neutral sound signature at a relatively affordable price point. Well, the R70x has a very similar frequency response, with a few tiny differences here and there.
But, in my opinion, the R70x one-ups the HD600 is several key departments, so much so that I consider it an upgrade with a few small caveats. I know not everyone agrees with that sentiment, however I rarely find myself reaching for the HD600 since I got my hands on the R70x. As I said earlier, I’m not looking forward to the day I have to give them back to my friend.
Let’s look into the sound in more detail, starting with bass.
Bass
I’ll be making various comparisons with the HD600 in this review, as I think many will want to know how the R70x stacks up against it. When it comes to bass, it’s not much of a stretch to say that the R70x simply beats the HD600.
First of all, it extends a fair bit deeper than the Sennheiser. While there is a bit of roll-off in the deep subbass, the lower frequencies pack a pleasant level of authority that, despite demanding attention, don’t bleed into the mids whatsoever.
Good macrodynamics certainly aids in giving the bass ample amount of impact as well as texture. It’s no bass monster, but the lower frequencies are the star of the show from my personal listening experience.
Mids
The midrange of the R70x takes a very slight step back in the mix compared to the HD600, but it’s still certainly what one would call a “mid-forward” tuning.
I find that certain instruments and vocals in particular are a touch less smooth, but in no way intrusive. It’s something you’d only notice when really analysing certain tracks and swapping between it and the HD600, which is what I was doing when I made this observation.
At the end of the day, it’s a matter of preference. Want the singer’s voice and guitar riffs to tickle your ears and take centre stage? Perhaps the HD600 is better for you. But I think the R70x is the better all-rounder, and will work harmoniously with the vast majority of genres thanks to its comparatively pulled back midrange tuning.
Treble
Treble fanatics may want to brush the R70x aside. Not that it’s bad, it’s a little dark in terms of it’s frequency response.
The mid-treble is noticeably recessed, albeit not overly so. It’s a non-issue apart from in songs that are heavy in cymbals, where the harmony can sound blunted and lacking in outright volume.
The treble picks up in its upper reaches, giving tracks plenty of air and brilliance. But once again, the treble is not quite as silky smooth as it is on the HD600, which can actually be either a blessing or a curse depending on how intense you want your music to be.
Imaging and Soundstage
OK, so this is where the Audio-Technica really amazed me. Used to the “three-blob” imaging capabilities of the venerable HD600, the R70x precise localisation of sound was a truly eye-opening moment in my audiophile journey.
Not only does it fill out the soundscape between your ears, it also pinpoints sounds up and down the ear, which admittedly was a new sensation for me.
Unfortunately the soundstage doesn’t extend far out beyond the ears. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing however, as it leads to what I like to call a “cohesive” image where every bit of space within the head stage is filled out and there are no dead zones.
As an explanatory comparison, the AKG K702, while having an impressively wide soundstage, lacked a coherent image between the dead centre and the widest reaches. This almost made it sound like different instruments were playing in different rooms, which soured the overall experience.
The R70x avoids this, and despite being not much wider-sounding than the average closed-back headphone, has precise imaging which not only makes for an immersive musical experience, but also makes the headphone perfect for gaming applications.
More Notes
With an impedance of 470 ohms, a dedicated amplifier is recommended for the Audio-Technica R70x.
I found I could get more than ample volume plugging straight into my phone and laptop, but imaging and layering abilities were hampered and soundstage was squashed in even more than it already was. Not that it’s suddenly bad, but to unlock that final 10% or so you do require an amp with adequate power.
Moving up to the Fiio E10K Olympus 2, things improved somewhat but the budget amp/DAC introduced a bit of treble peakiness that wasn’t to my liking.
Only when I plugged the R70x into my Topping DX3 Pro/A30 Pro desktop stack did the headphones truly open up to their full potential. So while these Audio-Technica cans sound great through almost any source, bear in mind they scale tremendously well with higher power amplification.
Overall Verdict
The Audio-Technica ATH-R70x has got to be one of the most underrated dynamic open-back headphones on the market. With crystal clear imaging and a near-perfect neutral sound signature, these headphones need to be in the same conversation as the Sennheiser HD600 as a benchmark in the $300 price category. A versatile all-rounder which is ideal for long listening sessions, the R70x is an easy recommendation from me, as long as you don’t have large ears and have some sort of dedicated amplification solution.
Rating: 9/10